Protect Your Skin during the Summer Months

Bright sunshine and blue skies, the buzz of insects, and the sweat on everyone's brow are all telltale signs of summertime. Take some simple precautions and be prepared to keep your skin safe and healthy.

Apply Sunscreen

For many people, summertime means spending more time outside. Since ultraviolet radiation (UV) from the sun tends to be stronger during the summer months, and exposure to UV rays appears to the most important environmental factor in developing skin cancer, it's important to know how to best protect your skin. Sunscreen is one of many sun protective practices to prevent sunburns, a risk factor in developing skin cancer. Use sunscreen with a sun protective factor (SPF) of 15 or higher and put it on your skin a half hour before you go outside so it has a chance to soak in.

Spending time in the sun? Know the facts:

• UV rays are strongest between the hours of 10:00am and 4:00pm.

• Reflective surfaces (water, cement, and sand) increase your chances of getting burned by the sun's rays.

• You are just as likely to get too much sun on a cloudy or hazy day as you are on a sunny one. UV rays are strong enough to burn your skin even on cloudy days.

Sun safety tips:

• Cover up with clothing to protect exposed skin.

• Wear a wide brimmed hat and wrap around sunglasses that block both UVA and UVB rays.

• Seek shade, especially during the midday hours of 10:00am – 4:00pm when UV rays are strongest.

• In addition to sunscreen with an SPF of 15 or higher, apply lip balm with an SPF factor.

Use Bug Repellent

The best defense against mosquito and tick bites is applying insect repellent containing an EPA-registered active ingredient (DEET or Picaridin). Follow the directions on the package and reapply to your skin and clothing as directed.

Want to keep the bugs away? Bite prevention facts and tips:

• West Nile Virus (WNV), a blood-borne virus that increases in risk during the summer and fall, is typically spread by a bite from an infected mosquito.

• Mosquitoes are most active at dusk and dawn. Plan indoor activities during peak mosquito hours or wear long sleeves and pants while outside.

• Ticks are often found in long grass. Best to wear long pants and tuck the ends into your socks.

• When you're outside with a pet, be sure to check both you and your animal for ticks before you go inside. (See instructions on removing ticks.)

Keep Skin Clean

Wash your face with soap or mild cleanser and water in the morning, evening, and after exercising. Clean skin means there is less chance of clogged pores that lead to acne—not only in the summer months, but year round. Frequent hand washing with soap and water will decrease your odds of catching—or spreading—a summertime cold or infection.

If you get a cut or scratch while outside, be sure to properly clean and dress the wound with water and soap to remove dirt, keep germs away, and promote the healing process. Tetanus, the toxin that causes tetanus disease (lockjaw), is found in contaminated areas such as dirt or soil, on metal, and in animal intestines. If barefoot inside or outside, be sure to watch your step.

Clean skin facts and tips:

• Rinse off your body after swimming to remove salt or chemicals.

• Tetanus enters the body through a break in the skin, so avoid infection: keep wounds clean and bandaged.

• Tetanus vaccine is available and requires a booster approximately every 10 years. Ask your physician if you're due for a booster.

Use bug repellent, wear sunscreen, and keep your skin clean. These skin care tips will help you stay healthy over the summer months and promote a safe and enjoyable season.

Looking for additional information on skin care?

• BAM! Body and Mind: Learn about Tetanus
• BAM! Body and Mind: Under the Microscope (skin and acne)
• Fight the Bite! West Nile Virus
• Moving Outdoors – Information about safety and health while outside
• Play It Safe in the Sun: A Guide for Parents
• Skin Cancer Questions and Answers
• Stop Ticks
• Sun Safety – Protect Yourself from the Sun
• West Nile Virus: What You Need to Know